Sagra is Permanently Closed

Sagra was a casual, yet elegant Italian enoteca and trattoria located in the historic center of Austin. Its Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini created a menu of new renditions of Old World classics. This was the restaurant's website.

Unfortunately, Sagra has closed permanently.
Content is from the site's archived pages.

We will miss you, Sagra.

On the northern edge of downtown yet ensconced in a quiet residential neighborhood, Sagra offers Italian fare in a peaceful setting. Owner-chef Gabriel Pellegrini’s cooking highlights organic and local ingredients. Antipasti like the zuppa di cozze, PEI mussels bobbing in a fragrant white wine and garlic broth, and the bruschetta del giorno are meant to be shared and enjoyed casually with quartinos. For lighter dinners and lunches, we like the colorful pizzas, such as the pizza Sagra, dressed with Pecorino, mozzarella, spinach, truffle oil and a fried egg. Luxurious risotto alla pescatora with shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, saffron and tomato is a standout among the primi. Some of the heartier Tuscan entrées are often tinged with Texas influences, such as the wild boar osso buco. A low-key Sunday brunch features frittatas and caramelized french toast accompanied by bottomless mimosas and Bellinis.

PRESS

Italian Restaurant Sagra Is Closing Up

No more all-you-can-eat mussels

byNadia ChaudhuryMay 25, 2016

Italian restaurant Sagra is closing, according to its website. The last day will be Sunday, May 29. The note from co-owners Sarwat and Gabriel Pellegrini (who is also the executive chef) reads:

Dear Friends of Sagra,

After serving Austin for the last nine years, with a very heavy heart I am sorry to announce Sagra is closing. It saddens me that we will no longer be there for your proposals, bridal showers, weddings and rehearsals and all your other joyous celebrations. Austin is a great place with an incredible food scene but the costs of maintaining a large location downtown were just too much for us. I want to give thanks to all of the people who have helped us over the years. There are too many to name but I would specially like to thank Parker, Nicole, Justin, Armando and most importantly to our current G.M. Jeff (without whom we never would have made it these last three years) All your hard work and friendship made this all worthwhile. I wish you all the best in all your future endeavors. We couldn't have done it without you. We will keep you updated with what the future brings us.
Thank you so much for your patronage!

The Pellegrinis were kicked out of Sagra’s original location on San Antonio Street back in 2012 over the front patio. Modern Southern restaurant Olamaie took over that space. Sagra’s co-owners reopened the Italian restaurant on East 11th Street in 2013.

About

Sagra, a casual, yet elegant Italian enoteca and trattoria, is located in the historic center of Austin in a rustic old home reminiscent of an Italian farmhouse. Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini has created a menu of new renditions of Old World classics that feature wood-fired pizzas, homemade mozzarella, house-cured meats and homemade pastas. Nightly specials, an inviting staff, Italian wine list and warm atmosphere come together to create a memorable Italian dining experience.Welcome to Sagra. From the moment you enter the door, you’ll be taken in by the soothing décor, the relaxing atmosphere, welcoming staff, and the glow of our wood-burning oven – all this and more tells you you’re in for a treat. Stop in and enjoy one of our delicious homemade pizzas and a quartino of wine.

We make everything in house and all of our food is cooked to order. No basil, no salt, no gluten, All no problem! Reserve a table for that special occasion and linger over a full-course meal or sit at the bar and savor one of our cocktails with a pizza, inspired by the classics. Either way, at Sagra our guests are treated like royalty. All of our food is handmade. We make all our own breads, pastas, and desserts. All our ingredient are produced locally or from the finest purveyors in Italy and America

Inspired by the bistro-style meals served at Italy’s many railway stations, Chef Pellegrini’s menu features a combination of Old World traditions with subtle yet sophisticated renditions of contemporary Italian fare. The highest priority is placed on using the freshest ingredients available to create memorably delicious meals. Each day, we make our own thin-crust dough, pastas and mozzarella to produce a dozen delectable pizzas, all cooked to Neapolitan perfection on a flat stone in our authentic Italian oven. The menu also offers new twists on Italian specialties like pasta carbonara, made with house-cured pancetta and fresh peas, topped with a parmesan sauce and egg.

All of our food is handmade. We make all our own breads, pastas, and desserts. All our ingredient are produced locally or from the finest purveyors in Italy and America.

Wine & Libations

At Sagra we take our cocktails very, very seriously.Our expert bartenders use only the finest ingredients, sourced locally and from the most reputable international sources. We grow our own herbs and all specialty cocktails are made with only the finest local and Italian Spirits.

Parties at Your House or Ours?

Whether casual or formal, any occasion calls for Sagra. Our dedicated team will work with you to create a corporate function, cocktail party, reception or holiday gathering that is special and distinctly yours, either at our location or one of your choosing. Selecting items from our seasonal menu and pairing cocktails or wines to enhance your guests' enjoyment, we can help take the guesswork out of event planning so you can focus on enjoying your party. Please contact our event coordinator at (512)535-5988 or at info@sagrarestaurant.net.

Quality is very important to us at Sagra, by using two different local delivery services everyone in the Austin Area can have Sagra’s food delivered right to their door.

An aside: Over the years we had Sagra cater several events at our home, here in Texas. The first was a pre wedding party for my daughter and soon to be son inlaw. The last one before the restauraant closed was for a baby shower. The baby shower was quite memorable not only because of the delicious food, silly/ fun games that were em'cd by my younger daughter, but also by the very positive comments I received by guests regarding our stylish round pillow dog beds that I had just purchased for our three Brittany hunting dogs. I had wanted dog beds that wouldn't scream "dog bed" and I found the perfect ones at an online store called Goodnight Dog. Their round dog beds looked more like floor pillows than a dog bed. The fabric was designer uphostery fabrics that were stunning. I chose a striking black outline and white over scaled baroque botanical that coordinated perfectly with the rest of my livingroom decor. Many of the guests at the baby shower used them as floor pillows as they ate the catered Sagra finger food and sipped proseco wine. After the baby shower was over, our dogs returned to claim their dog beds. Our fortieth wedding anniversary is coming up soon. I will miss not having Sagra cater it.

PARKING
We have a large free parking lot directly behind the building.
Additional free Parking is available on the street.

Buy Gift Cards On-Line

No need to run out and buy the perfect gift, because we've got it right here!
Order Sagra Gift Cards on-line, and have them shipped for free, anywhere in the United States! Gift cards will be sent via mail the next day.

We'll even include any message you want if it's a gift for someone else.

Gift Cards in the amount of $25, $50, or $75, can be ordered on-line.
If you'd like to order a Gift Card with a different value, please purchase them at the restaurant, or call us at 512-535-5988 to place your order.

We arrived early and made a res on OpenTable because when I saw that deal, I thought for sure it would be packed. Not only was it not packed in the slightest (#hiddengems), but the service was quick and friendly, and though we mostly came for the bottomless special, the entree didn't disappoint. Think italian breakfast on steroids, I hereby swear by polenta bowls.

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Rob K.
Austin, TX
4.0 star rating
2/20/2016
I made reservations for Valentine's Day at Sagra without apparently doing my homework, as it was a prix fixe night. No problem, just unexpected.

Half of the tables were empty, and we had a reservation, yet we were still seated by the door to the kitchen by the greeter. We followed her back to the front and politely requested another table. After a bit of a rigamarole we were seated in the Northwest corner with a window overlooking our table. Very nice, very intimate and very much appreciated.

We went with the wine accompaniment option and had a tasty Saffron Bisque to start things off with an infused St Germaine champagne cocktail. The cauliflower puree was very tasty and the saffron aroma was intoxicating. The cocktail likewise had a fantastic fragrance and was delicious. The crispy gnocchi in the bisque were a bit "meh" in comparison and could have been left out.

I had the filet of beef with foie gras mashed potatoes and watercress in a chianti demi sauce for my main that was paired with Mocavero Primitivo Salient IGT (primitive grape variety), while Gal Pal had the pistachio crusted scallops paired with Pecorino IGT Terre di Chieti (abruzzo grape variety). Both dishes were delicious but at room temperature, unfortunately.

The experience could easily have been a 5 star one but, even with the tepid meals and seating fiasco, was still a very lovely 4 star.

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Kayla B.
Seattle, WA
5.0 star rating
4/9/2016

Reservations at The Grove on 6th turned into venturing to Sagra on East 11th thanks to a shooting across the street at Dogwood. *eyeroll* That said, Sagra turned out to be an excellent decision!
I was a little surprised this place wasn't more packed. My friend wanted to bring her dog, but the size of the patio would prove that to be difficult with a furry friend present. There were only a few tables out front, but don't count on enjoying patio weather if you have more than four people in your group.

We started with two, which turned into six which quickly turned into a group of nine. The staff was more than accommodating. They allowed me to be seated while waiting for the rest of my group even.
The vibe of this place is like an old house with a hint of Italian. To be honest, it's been a while since I saw mimosa deals like they have here.

The MimosasJust go with the Prefixe option. Plain and simple. If you are here for one dish and one mimosa, it basically pays for itself. You get ANY entree, BOTTOMLESS mimosas and bellinis, fruit, and bread baskets for $17.95 Saturday and Sunday 10:30am-3p. If this is too much for you, you can opt for just a $2 individual mimosa or Bellini or a $6 Bloody Mary. For our group size, our waitress (who was spectacular) just kept bringing carafes out. My recommendation, mix the Bellini and mimosa together for a special treat.
Things took a turn for the weird several carafes in. I brought my Chambong to this classy establishment, and we successfully managed to Chambong some mimosas back without getting kicked out. No one blinked an eye at us. The Chambong is the classiest way to drink mimosas, after all.

The FoodI was equally impressed with the food, especially for the value. I chose the Sagra Eggs with pesto bread. The dish was incredible, including a crunchy edged and yet still soft thick toast doused in so much pesto, it is literally green but manages not to overwhelm you. The poached eggs on top perfectly complement the toast cooked into the sliced tomatoe, especially when the yolk runs. A romaine salad on the side with a light vinaigrette and homestyle potatoes with a hint of salt come with the dish. I easily are the entire dish.

While some of my friends had some leftovers and complained their macaroni had excessive Spanish, I was delighted by the breakfast entree and have no insight on the other meals.

Overall, considering I was able to be seated prior to the complete party arriving, the flexibility of the staff, dealing with our rowdy group demanding carafe after carafe of mimosas and bellinis, food quality, value and experience, I would rate this place 5 stars and we will definitely be coming back.

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Sarah W.
Austin, TX
4.0 star rating
12/20/2015

Everyday happy hour from 4-6:30 with half price pizzas and $2 off all alcohol except bottles of wine.

This is one of my favorite places to pre-game with friends. The pizzas are tasty and the cocktails are yummy. They have a range of beers as well. I've never been here and seen it crowded for happy hour which I just don't understand. Their brunch seems to be popular and then no one is there until 7/7:30/8 (seems to be a date night place),

Regardless, I will continue to enjoy their happy hour!

There is free parking in the lot behind their building!

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Phillip B.
Austin, TX
3.0 star rating
1/23/2015
It was on a weekday at high noon. We were in the area and stopped in. As we were standing outside perusing the posted menu and slowly deciding that we didn't want to spend that price for lunch, the door opens and this bright, bubbly lady approaches and asks if we are deciding on lunch. I was like "yeah:. She smiles and says "come on inside we have decent lunch specials. You're looking at the dinner menu". I say, "I knew that". Lie!!

The place is quite charming despite its imperfections. Our waiter was friendly, but, needed to clean his finger nails. I hate looking at dirty nails on a waiter. It's gross. Glad to get that off my chest. Pushing on. They make their pastas, pizza dough and bread fresh daily. They use fresh ingredients, but, not basil! I love basil. Why no basil? Everything is made in house and cooked to order. And they have a wood burning oven for their pizzas. YUM!!

Once we were seated, we ordered our waters and started looking at the menu. Two things immediately stood out to us: Wild Boar Bolognese and Osso Bucco di'Agnello. We decided to go ahead and splurge a little and order the Osso Bucco. WTF is Osso Bucco you ask? It is slow cooked lamb, brussels sprouts, saffron risotto, and BASIL gremolata. Whaat? I thought you don't use basil? I'm confused on that one as I didn't see the basil gremolata at all.

The bolognese was delicious. Everything about it was great. Pasta was cooked perfect and the sauce had a nice little sweet tang. It was thick and not watered down running all over the plate. Very good dish for eight bucks. I would have liked it better with spaghetti or fettuccine noodles.

The lamb shank with the brussels and saffron risotto was good. Not quite $18 good. While the lamb was generous and tender, a lot of it was too dry. If not for the dryness it would have been excellant. The brussels were disappointing as they were also too dry. The risotto was perfect. The complimentary bread was fresh, warm and delicious and paired well with the olive oil/balsalmic vinegrette dip.

Overall I liked this place. I would definitely be interested in going back and trying other dishes. Especially one of their pizzas. This place is definitely worth a visit folks.